مجله گل و گیاهان زینتی
سال هفتم شماره 2 (پاییز و زمستان 1401)

Sunlight is the only source of natural energy for the growth of plants. Natural light is a cost- effective source for commercial agricultural production for economic reasons. But according to the environmental conditions, artificial light can also be used for cultivation of plants. One of the important horticultural activities is vegetative propagation of plants by rooting of cuttings. Due to the short length of cuttings and the economic nature of propagation throughout the year, it is possible to use multi-tier growth chambers in which optimal conditions are provided for rooting. One of the widely used indoor ornamental plants is Benjamin fig, whose commercial propagation method is by rooting of cuttings. In order to optimize the light conditions necessary for the rooting and growth of Ficus benjamina 'Starlight' cuttings, the effect of different LED light spectrums (red, blue, red + blue and white) on root regeneration and growth of its cuttings was studied. Three months after planting, rooting percentage, rooting index and morphological indices were measured. The results showed that except for the root length trait which was the longest (16.8 cm) in the combined light of red + blue LED, the highest number of root branches (12), root fresh weight (1.42 g), Root dry weight (0.36 g) and root volume (2.8 cm3) were related to white light. In terms of shoot growth indices, the highest leaf area (10.9 cm2) and shoot fresh weight (4.82 g) were observed in white light and the highest shoot dry weight (1.4 g), shoot length (23.2 cm) and shoot number (3/6) were observed in blue + red light. The highest rooting percentage (100%) was observed under red light and the highest rooting index (4.5) was related to blue LED light. Based on the results of this experiment, the white light spectrum has a better effect on the root growth of the cuttings, and for the growth of the aerial parts of the cuttings, the combined red + blue light has a better effect than the blue and red monochromic LEDs. In general, white LED light is recommended to produce rooted Benjamin fig cuttings with good quality.

The flower and ornamental plants industry, play an important role in the agricultural economy of Iran and many countries of the world; nevertheless, this industry is facing many barriers and challenges. Alborz province has an appropriate capacity for the development of flower and ornamental plants industry; accordingly, the main purpose of this descriptive - survey research was to identify the barriers and challenges of flower and ornamental plants industry development in Alborz province. The statistical population of study consisted of flower and ornamental plants growers in Alborz province (N=1260), out of whom 135 people determined as sample using Cochran's sampling formula and simple sampling technique. A questionnaire was the main tool of study. Validity of the questionnaire was approved by a panel of experts and construct validity using AVE Index. In order to measure the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability (CR) were calculated. The data were analyzed by SPSS22 and Smart PLS software. Prioritizing of barriers and challenges showed that, “high price of the product” and “policy making, planning and supportive” were in the highest ranks and “human resources” and “research, education and extension” were in the lowest ranks. The results of confirmatory factor analysis indicated that, barriers and challenges’ measurement model consist of 10 main elements: “high price of the product”, “infrastructure / technology”, “production quality”, “financial”, “human resources”, “research, education and extension”, “marketing and sales”, “consumers”, “export” and “policy making, planning and supportive” was homogeneous and the reliability of the indicators was approved. Accordingly, it is recommended to identifying and solving barriers and challenges through a comprehensive and holistic approach.

In order to investigate the response of Black-eyed Susan to different dosages of herbicide and comparing it with hand weeding treatment, an experiment was conducted with 6 treatments based on randomized complete block design (RCBD) in three replications during 2018-2019 in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan. The treatments included different dosages of Oxyfluorfen herbicide (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 L ha-1) and a weed free treatment in the entire period (hand weeding). Herbicide application was done as a postemergence herbicide on the transplanted seedlings after complete establishment (4-6 leaves). The results indicated that different dosages of herbicides led to severe plant burns and regrowth occurred after two weeks of herbicide application. In the no application of herbicide treatment (weed interference), the lowest characteristics of height (33 cm), plant dry weight (154 g m-2), number of flowers (27 number m-2) and flower dry weight (20 g m-2) were observed. The highest height (74 cm), plant dry weight (1117 g m-2), number of flowers (276 number m-2), and flower dry weight (395 g m-2) were recorded in hand weeding treatment. Among different dosages of herbicide, applications of 1 and 1.5 L ha-1 led to an increase in the number of flowers (201 and 196 number m-2) and the dry weight of flowers (287 and 281 g m-2), and no significant difference was observed between these two treatments. The total dry weight of weeds decreased with the increased herbicide dosage, and in 2 L ha-1 of herbicide, the lowest dry weight was 22 g m-2 and the highest dry weight was in 195 g m-2 in weedy treatment (no application of herbicide). There was no statistically significant difference in the dry weight of weeds between the three-herbicide dosages 1, 1.5 and 2 L ha-1. Fitting the logistic equation to the data of the total dry weight of weeds showed that the dosage required to reduce the total dry weight of weeds by 50% was estimated as 0.448 L ha-1. Although due to the application of herbicide, intense burning of plants and reduction in regrowth of black-eyed Susan plants was observed, according to labor costs, the application of 1.5 L ha-1 of herbicide can be recommended to control weeds in the urban green space in the condition of highly weed contamination.

Due to the effect of some wavelengths of light such as blue and red on the structure and activity of different plant pigments, in recent years, different ways of using LED lamps in plant breeding environments and in order to Improve plant growth have been studied. In this study, we aim to investigate how gradual changes in spectral distribution compared to constant spectral distribution, fluorescent light, and high-pressure sodium lights affect the vegetative growth traits of petunia seedlings, energy use efficiency during the seedling growth and the change in the reproductive behavior of mature plants. Petunia seedlings were affected by different spectral distributions for 28 days. In some light treatments. In some light treatments (85%red: 15%blue, 70%red: 30%blue, and 55%red: 45%blue) while in others, the percentages of blue and red lights changed gradually according to the schedule which included a gradual increase in the amount of red light or a gradual decrease in the amount of red light. Also, the effect of fluorescent lamps (control) and high-pressure sodium was studied. At the end of the seedling stage, samples of the lighting treatments were transferred to a greenhouse with completely identical environmental conditions to determine the effect of different spectral distributions during the seedling stage on the vegetative and reproductive growth of mature plants. The results showed the improvement of the studied growth traits under the gradual changes of spectral distribution during the seedling stage. The dry weights of shoot and root, leaf area, number of leaves, contents of chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments, and energy use efficiency were significantly higher under the lighting treatment which was initially monochromatic blue light, and then the amount of red light was gradually increased. Also, it was observed that the vegetative growth and flowering of mature plants were affected by the spectral distribution used during the seedling stage. Mature plants whose seedlings were under the influence of monochromatic blue light at the beginning of their growth and the amount of blue light was gradually reduced, had a higher fresh and dry weight of shoot and root, root volume, number, and length of lateral branches. Compared to other plants, they were plants. It was also observed that although changes in the spectral composition of light during seedling growth had a significant effect on the flowering time of mature plants, there was not a significant difference between some light treatments (constant ratio of 45% blue: 55% red, high-pressure sodium lamp light and a gradual increase in the amount of red light). Modifying the spectral combinations during the seedling stage influenced their vegetative traits of them. Additionally, lighting treatments during the seedling stage affected the vegetative traits of mature plants. Further, the gradual changes in the blue and red-light proportion in spectral distribution significantly affected the energy use efficiency, which affects the reasonable economic achievements in plant production. Lighting systems could be applied to plant production differently in the future, according to the results of this study.

Prolonging the vase life and delaying the onset of senescence of cut flowers is one of the most important goals of experts, producers, and activists in ornamental plants. According to the high production of ethylene in carnation petals and its negative effect on the postharvest life of carnation, the present study investigated the effect of preservatives containing salicylic acid (0, 2, and 4 mM) and benzyl adenine (0, 25, and 50 mg L-1) and their interaction on maintaining the quality and vase life of carnation flowers stored at 4 ± 1 °C. The results showed that the benzyl adenine treatment (25 mg L-1) increased the vase life, affected the carnation stem's diameter, and cut flowers significantly. Absorption of solution of salicylic acid 4 mM treated carnation flowers significantly caused an increase in their weight and showed a significant increase compared to control carnation flowers. Salicylic acid treatment decreased the percentage of ion leakage. The interaction of salicylic acid and benzyl adenine treatments also maintained flower quality by increasing the total sugar content, decreasing the pH of the preservative solution, and reducing the bacterial population in the preservative solution. The treatments of the current study increased photosynthetic pigments. The highest chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids were obtained in benzyl adenine at 25 mg L-1 and 50 mg L-1. Salicylic acid 2 mM caused them to increase in T2 compared to T1. The reaction of chlorophyll b was different so that it reached its maximum in salicylic 2 mM and increased it at T2 with the help of benzyl adenine 25 mg L-1.

Mass propagation along with preserving the true-to-type characteristics is the goal of ornamental plants clonal propagation. Among the ornamental species, chimeric plants have always been of interest because of their attractive appearance. The mother-in-law's tongue or Sansevieria trifasciata, due to its fleshy leaves and high tolerance to adverse environmental conditions, is very suitable as an indoor plant. Since the clonal propagation of aforesaid plants are through rhizomes and offset, therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate the type of leaf cuttings and soil mixture under greenhouse conditions and also aimed to see leaf explants response under in vitro condition. The results of experiments performed in the greenhouse show that the type of leaf cuttings is ineffective in inducing chimeric plants. Cocopeat-Perlite soil mixture led to the production of more roots in regenerated plants, however, compared to Perlite, it failed to improve shoot regeneration. There was no significant difference between plants regenerated from chimeric parts of reverse V shape cuttings compared to the simple leaf cuttings. In vitro studies using the 2,4-D and kinetin revealed that the explants which were incubated for 20 days in MS media supplemented with 0.35 mg/L 2,4-D and then kinetin resulted in a higher average number of shoots. Although the use of leaf explant was not effective in inducing true chimeric shoots, some plastidial mutations were seen, leading to the production of albino plants. In vitro-induced plants were acclimated with 100% efficiency in greenhouse conditions under mist system. Overall, the results of these in/ex vitro studies failed to induce chimeric plants likely due to the de novo meristemoid induction originating from inner layers of chimeric tissues.

Dog rose (Rosa canina L.) is a medicinal-ornamental shrub that has a natural habitat in some regions of Iran. Climatic and geographical conditions of the habitat are the most important factors that have affected the distribution and habitat suitability of this species. Recognizing the factors affecting the habitat suitability of plants is necessary for species conservation programming and cultivation planning in the future. The current study was conducted to identify the factors that affect the habitat suitability of dog rose in the Kadkan region of Khorasan Razavi province using MaxEnt model. Input data included 14 factors of soil data (texture, acidity, electrical conductivity, organic matter and iron sulfate), climate (maximum and minimum temperature mean, annual precipitation mean), topographic (elevation, aspect, slope, plan curvature and hydrological data (topographic wetness index (TWI) and distance to stream). Evaluation of the model efficiency was investigated by the ROC curve and the importance of the variables influenced by the jackknife test. Results were shown that the MaxEnt model had a logical and acceptable efficiency (AUC = 0.866) in detecting the habitat suitability of the dog rose according to species presence points in the study area. The habitat suitability map was distinguished by MaxEnt model into 5 categories: very low, low, medium, high and very high. The area with very high suitability for dog rose growth had the lowest percentage in the investigated area. Results of the evaluation of variables importance showed that the elevation has the greatest effect on the habitat suitability of dog rose in the Kadkan region. Moreover, the acidity, environment relative humidity, TWI, clay, and the amount of iron sulfate in the soil were the other factors that respectively affected the habitat suitability of dog rose. Finally, the 36.5% of studied area in the Kodkan habitat has a high to very high suitability for the growth of Rosa canina L.

In the modern era, edible flowers are gaining more and more popularity among the consumers. Edible flowers are appreciated for their sensory properties such as color, taste, aroma and evoke positive aesthetic impressions. Edible flowers provide bioactive compounds in the form of anthocyanins, carotenoids, polyphenols, vitamins and minerals. Edible flowers have a high content of phenolic compounds and a high antioxidant capacity, that confers positive effects on oxidative stress-related diseases. Unfortunately, the idea of eating flowers is still considered with mistrust, despite their agronomic potential and the fact that most of edible flowers are consumed by tribal inhabitants collected from the wild resources. Therefore, it is essential, first and foremost, to improve nutrition education aimed at proposing flowers as a functional food. This paper presents a comprehensive review of scientific studies about various species of edible flowers, their nutritional and phytochemical composition, health benefits, pre- and post-harvest technology, functional food products, marketing and eventually increasing the adequacy of edible flowers as potent food ingredient. In conclusion, edible flowers could be used as a new approach for the development of nutraceutical products.

Common stock (Matthiola incana L.) is an important cut flower, bedding and aromatic plant. Increasing its flower number and size is a desired objective among florists. Plant growth regulators including γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and spermine have proved beneficial for improving flowers’ characteristics. This study was designed on a completely randomized design with 4 replicates and 16 treatments. GABA (0, 2.5, 5 and 10 mM) and spermine (0, 1, 2 and 3 mM) were sprayed on six leaves seedlings. Increasing concentration of GABA and spermine significantly decreased the flowering time and conversely increased plant height, number of flowers, stem diameter, flower diameter, shoot and root dry weight, leaf relative water content, chlorophyll, and antioxidant enzymes activity. The highest number of flower shoot and root dry weight, chlorophyll, and antioxidant enzymes in addition to the lowest electrolyte leakage were obtained by 10 mM GABA in combination with 3 mM Spermine. Also, maximum plant height and earliest flowering time were gained using 3 mM spermine, while the greatest leaf relative water content was obtained by 10 mM GABA. Application of GABA and spermine could be suggested as a promising way to improve stock flower’s aesthetic characteristics and possibly enhance their stress tolerance.

Carnation is an important ornamental plant and Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. dianthi is the causal agent of Fusarium wilt of carnation, causes a lot of damage to carnation growers. The aim of the present study was to investigate the response of carnation plants infected with F. oxysporum f.sp. dianthi and inoculated with Trichoderma (wild and mutant) on some physiological and enzymatic parameters related to resistance against pathogen. After isolating and identification of the pathogens and studying their pathogenicity, F. oxysporum N112 was selected as the virulent strain. Trichoderma isolates were prepared from the fungal collection of the Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute and their in vitro ability to inhibit growth against F. oxysporum N112 was studied. The reduction of disease incidence due to treatment with selected Trichoderma on carnation ‘ White Liberty’ in the greenhouse condition was investigated. The content of total protein, chlorophyll a and b, carotenoids as well as the activity of peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase enzymes in leaf samples were studied on days 7, 14 and 21. The results showed a decrease in the production of total protein, chlorophyll (a, b) and carotenoids in infected plants and an increase in the activity of peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase enzymes led to accumulation of free radicals in leaf tissue. While the plants inoculated with Trichoderma led to increase the content of total protein, chlorophyll (a, b) and carotenoids and prevented the accumulation of free radicals, it may related to reducing the accumulation of peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase enzymes in the carnation plant infected with Fusarum fusarum. f.sp. dianthi. On the other hand, treatment with mutant Trichoderma (NAS106-M21 and NAS114-M12) had more influence on the progression of the disease than wild isolates 21 days after disease infection, which was due to the effect of treatment with mutant Trichoderma in reducing cellular oxidation in the infected plant. The results showed that NAS106-M21 and NAS114-M12, in addition to higher antagonistic activity than the wild isolates (T. viride NAS106 and T. virens (NAS114)), through a greater effect on the cellular oxidation balance could be a more effective biocontrol agent in the integrated program to combat carnation Fusarium wilt.

The clonal propagation of ornamental plants, especially in chimeric species is very important. Since the only way to propagate chimeric Sansevieria is a rhizome–derived offset propagation, therefore the improvement of the aforementioned clonal propagation method is of prime importance.  For this purpose, in this study, the apical dominance of this species was impaired through the application of 6-Benzylaminopurine (6-BA) and different wounding methods. The experiment was performed under greenhouse conditions and in plastic pots on Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Hahnii’. The results indicated that the use of combination treatment of removal of apical shoots along with foliar application of 50 μM 6-BA significantly increases the number of offsets. This treatment also had a much better effect on improving the height, diameter and weight of offsets than other treatments and control plants. It seems that high concentrations of cytokinin have a negative effect on regeneration and utilizing lower concentrations has a minor effect on inhibiting apical dominance. It is recommended that removal of apical shoots along with exogenous application of 50 μM BA resulted in a 1.5% increase and this treatment is able to increase the number of roots and weight of regenerated offsets twice.